Now that the onslaught of Fall TV show premieres is over (we reviewed over 60 of them, by the way) and the smoke is starting to clear, it’s time to take stock. What is worth keeping on your DV-R? Is there anything you missed? We’re here to help. In the Thanksgiving spirit of both being grateful (for good TV) and stuffing oneself (with good TV), below is a list of the 10 most essential new series from the Fall season to catch up with, including where they are currently streaming. You won’t be sorry.
Atlanta
Regular Timeslot: Season 1 is over, but you can still catch up ...
Where to Catch Up: FX Networks Episode Player
One of the best shows not just of the Fall but of recent memory, Donald Glover’s exceptional Atlanta is an experiment of form and storytelling that is bold and often uproariously hilarious. The series is about a city, a music genre, and a way of life, but ultimately it’s about just not wanting to be broke. The show’s first season takes a meandering route as it tells that story, but each stop is essential and unique. It’s also so, so weird. Glover’s early description of the series as “Twin Peaks with rappers” is completely apt. Treat yourself to this. — Allison Keene
Supergirl
Regular Timeslot: Mondays at 8 p.m. on The CW
Where to Catch Up: The CW Episode Player
Ok, so this is a little bit of a cheat. Supergirl is now in its second season, but it’s the show’s first season on The CW, and the change could not be more evident. I’m someone who wanted to like Season 1 but never got into it; the show’s run on CBS was uneven, and the change in networks suits the show enormously. Star Melissa Benoist seems much more comfortable in the role and with playing up Supergirl’s comedic side, and the series is benefitting from The CW’s superhero style that balances narrative and action with equal weight. Season 2 also starts with the advent of Superman, which could seem like a stunt until you see him in action. Tyler Hoechlin is outstanding, and helps to usher in a new era for the show. And by the way, you don’t have to have watched Season 1 at all to start in with Season 2. Sure you might miss some of the finer points of certain reveals, but you won’t be left behind with the storytelling. — Allison Keene
This Is Us
Regular Timeslot: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC
Where to Catch Up: NBC Episode Player or Hulu
In my early review of This Is Us’ pilot episode I correctly predicted that this would be the guilty pleasure show of the Fall, and so it has come to pass. Some may argue with that distinction — This Is Us has a fantastic cast and a really engaging narrative as it tells its interwoven stories — but it also relies a little too heavily on schmaltz and gimmicky reveals. Still, once you start with this one it’s hard to stop, and its heartwarming family moments are a wonderful antidote to all of the darkness and violence on TV (and a perfect Thanksgiving companion). This Is Us is sweet, simple, and will make you cry … and tune in every week from here on out. — Allison Keene
Channel Zero
Regular Timeslot: Season 1 just ended, but ...
Where to Catch Up: The Syfy Episode Player (be forewarned, the player is a little wonky on some browsers)
If you’re looking for a binge-worthy dose of the creeps, look no further than this new Syfy series from creator Nick Antosca. The anthology show that takes inspiration from the Internet’s voluminous Creepypasta archives kicked off its six-episode first season with a take on the “Candle Cove” story and will continue in 2017 by exploring the “No-End House” mythology. Complete with creepy creations, compelling characters, and horrific acts of violence that boldly occur in broad daylight, Channel Zero is a good entry into TV’s horror category, but its real strength is in the depth of the well of inspiration it draws from.
The casual viewer may be forgiven for writing off Channel Zero early on as just another weird and creepy horror series, but for those of you who enjoy deep dives into backstory, mythology, and absolutely the weirdest stories the Internet can conjure, this show is a gem. There are Easter eggs aplenty for followers of the source material and the showrunner is more than happy to keep feeding the frenzy over social media. If you missed out on this season’s creepiest new show, the good news is that you have time to get caught up before the second season debuts … you just might want to do it in the light of day. – Dave Trumbore
Fleabag
Regular Timeslot: All episodes are currently available
Where to Catch Up: Amazon Prime
Amazon has quietly been collecting some of the U.K.’s best half-hour series that subvert expectations with their comedy, and perfectly balance that very English way of layering humor on top of bleak undercurrents. Fleabag is the latest, running at a brisk 6 episodes that will elate and depress you all at once, as a young woman faces the perils of dating juxtaposed with the sudden death of her best friend and business parter. Fleabag, like another great British series Peep Show, addresses the audience directly, and brings us in as a friend and a judge to many absurd situations. The series is wonderfully funny and dark, and comes from a completely feminine point of view that is frank, vulnerable, proud, and uncertain all in turn. It makes for a breathtaking series that is over before you can remember to ask, “why is she called Fleabag?” — Allison Keene
Speechless
Regular Timeslot: Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC
Where to Catch Up: ABC Episode Player or Hulu
ABC has been doing comedy very well lately, and Speechless is no exception. What could have been a show that skewed schmaltzy is instead a whip-smart oddball comedy about a family whose oldest son J.J. (Micah Fowler) has cerebral palsy. The series balances the realities of J.J.’s needs with a desire — and his own desire — to just be a teenage boy. Speechless keeps things fresh with the inclusion of J.J.’s “voice” (played to great effect by Cedric Yarborough from Reno 911), but it also gives each of its characters a distinct personality and their own storylines. The show plays with liberal overcompensation towards the “differently abled,” especially in regards to Minnie Driver’s overbearing mother who is a crusader for her son’s rights, but often in all of the wrong ways. Speechless strives to make viewers comfortable and uncomfortable all at the same time. It wants us to know it’s ok to laugh, because we’re doing it all together. — Allison Keene
Pitch
Regular Timeslot: Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Fox
Where to Catch Up: Hulu or Fox Episode Player (cable provider required)
Kayti Burt and I wrote about our appreciation of Pitch in more depth here, but suffice it to say that it’s been one of the biggest surprises of Fall. The show looks at what life would be like for the first woman to play Major League Baseball, but expands to also focus on the team, the front office, and the media machine in a way that makes it simply a compelling sports series that actually — shock! — shows the sport being played. Plus, Mark Paul Gosselaar is the show’s excellent MVP. Worth drafting to your DV-R. — Allison Keene
The Exorcist
Regular Timeslot: Season 1 just concluded, but ...
Where to Catch Up: Fox Episode Player (cable provider required) or Hulu
I’ll admit, I was skeptical when I heard that the 1973 horror classic and William Peter Blatty’s source novel would be adapted as a new Fox series. I had the same questions as everyone else: How would a series stretch the movie’s central conflict to 10 episodes? What story could they tell that was both an homage to the source and an original tale? Why even bother messing with a classic?
Showrunner Jeremy Slater answered all of those questions quite competently if not all that quickly; the pilot episode is easily the weakest of the series. But those viewers who returned to watch Casey Rance (Hannah Kasulka) suffer through her transformation due to demonic possession were rewarded with the season’s creepiest, skin-crawliest horror series on TV. Alfonso Herrera and Ben Daniels play three-dimensional priests who each wrestle with their own very realistic personal demons while being tasked with tending to the Rance family’s nightmarish circumstances. The Exorcist really shines in these moments of character focus while the more genre-typical scenes are buoyed by the disturbing, top-notch special effects. The series stumbles a little with the inclusion of a sub-plot that finds corruption of the vilest kind infecting the Catholic church—clearly a necessary seed of a plot line that would continue in a possible second season—but viewers will find more to like than to criticize here, overall. And having just aired its season finale, now’s the perfect time to get possessed by this surprise horror gem! - Dave Trumbore
The Crown
Regular Timeslot: All episodes are currently available
Where to Catch Up: Netflix
It’s Netflix’s most expensive series of all time, and it’s easy to see why. The sumptuous sets and exquisite costuming all help transport you into the world of British royalty, specifically that of Queen Elizabeth II (the exceptional Claire Foy). The series offers an intimate and telling portrayal of such figures as Winston Churchill (John Lithgow, which is inspired casting) and Elizabeth’s husband Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh (Matt Smith, playing against type). If fame is a mask that eats into the face, the crown — as it is shown here — is one that requires absolute obedience from its wearer, even to the detriment of their personal lives and opinions. The series is gorgeous and nuanced and a slow burn, but it is also an easy binge as it sweeps you away into its story. Still, it makes it clear that we should all be happy that ultimately we can choose when to leave it behind. — Allison Keene
Westworld
Regular Timeslot: Sunday nights at 9 p.m on HBO
Where to Catch Up: HBO Go
If you haven’t started watching Westworld, I’m here to confirm that the hype is real. The show takes place in a park where you can live out your Wild West dreams (for $40,000 a day), including engaging with — and even murdering — the humanoid android hosts that populate it. The gorgeously produced (and sometimes viscerally intense) Westworld plays with the idea of consciousness and A.I., and questions what it really means to be human. And while there are many reasons to get pulled into the new fantasy series, if the first episode doesn’t convince you then try out the second hour, which could have also acted as a premiere and investigates the workings of the park from a different angle. From there you can choose to get tangled up in its myriad theories and puzzles, or just enjoy waiting for the inevitable robot revolution. — Allison Keene